The Corinda–Yeerongpilly line (also known as the Tennyson line) is a

railway Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...

line in

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...

, the state capital of

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

, Australia. It connects the

Beenleigh Beenleigh is a town and suburb in the City of Logan, Queensland, Australia. In the , the suburb of Beenleigh had a population of 8,252 people. A government survey for the new town was conducted in 1866. The town is the terminus for the Beenlei ...

and

Ipswich Ipswich () is a port town and borough in Suffolk, England, of which it is the county town. The town is located in East Anglia about away from the mouth of the River Orwell and the North Sea. Ipswich is both on the Great Eastern Main Line r ...

lines for freight trains, but is no longer used for passenger services in normal operation. During times of disruption in the inner south of Brisbane, certain services can be maintained by running through this line. For example, if there was a disruption at South Brisbane, Gold Coast services could be maintained by travelling along the line via the Ipswich line to

Corinda Corinda is a suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the , Corinda had a population of 5,064 people. History The suburb takes its name from the Corinda railway station, which in turn was likely named after a local cattle stat ...

, then via this line to

Yeerongpilly Yeerongpilly is a southern Suburbs and localities (Australia), suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the , Yeerongpilly had a population of 1,934 people. Geography Yeerongpilly is south-west of the Brisbane GPO. A small ...

, and then south as per normal along the Beenleigh/Gold Coast line. The line is a major freight corridor, being the main connection between western Queensland freight lines, the

Port of Brisbane Port of Brisbane is the shipping port and coastal suburb of the City of Brisbane, on the east coast of Queensland, Australia. In the , Port of Brisbane had no residents living in the suburb. The port is the largest in the state of Queensland. ...

and the marshalling yards at Moolabin,

Clapham Clapham () is a suburb in south west London, England, lying mostly within the London Borough of Lambeth, but with some areas (most notably Clapham Common) extending into the neighbouring London Borough of Wandsworth. History Early history T ...

and

Acacia Ridge Acacia Ridge is a southern suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the , Acacia Ridge had a population of 7,429 people. Geography Acacia Ridge is south of the central business district. It is within the local government are ...

. Passenger services on the line ceased in June 2011.

History

The line was opened in 1884 as part of a line connecting the Ipswich line to the

Brisbane River The Brisbane River is the longest river in South East Queensland, Australia, and flows through the city of Brisbane, before emptying into Moreton Bay on the Coral Sea. John Oxley, the first European to explore the river, named it after the Go ...

wharves at Stanley Street, South Brisbane, to provide a connection for coal mines exporting and/or refueling ships at the port. When the Beenleigh line was built south from Yeerongpilly, that became the mainline and the line to Corinda became the connecting link. The line was duplicated in 1916, and electrified in 1982.

Line guide and services

Prior to the opening of the

Merivale Bridge The Merivale Bridge is a double track railway bridge crossing the Brisbane River. It crosses the Milton Reach of the river, slightly to the west of the William Jolly Bridge. Exclusively a railway crossing, it is located between the stations of ...

in 1978, the line was the only connection between the northern and southern portions of the Brisbane suburban network. Through trains ran from Stanley Street and later South Brisbane to Corinda, Darra and Ipswich in the morning peak and afternoon school hours with a shuttle between Yeerongpilly and Corinda at other times. After 1978 the line lost some of its importance and most through trains were withdrawn. The shuttle was withdrawn on 1 June 1998 but reinstated soon after. The shuttle continued until 25 May 2001 when it was replaced by buses, with through services from Corinda to

Bowen Hills railway station Bowen Hills railway station is located on the North Coast line in Queensland, Australia. It serves the Brisbane suburb of Bowen Hills. North of the station, the Ferny Grove line branches off. The station is one of four inner city stations th ...

in the morning and afternoon. Through services continued to operate at peak times on weekdays until they were withdrawn in June 2011.

Calls to re-open the Tennyson line

In 2021, State MP for Maiwar, Michael Berkman and Councillor for Tennyson, Nichole Johnston, called for the Tennyson line to be reopened, citing less congestion and better public transport for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics as potential results of reopening. This call was rebuked by State MP and Transport Minister Mark Bailey, who stated that the

Cross River Rail Cross River Rail is an underground railway project through central Brisbane, which is, , under construction. Cross River Rail will see the development of a new rail line underneath Brisbane River, and the redevelopment of a number of stations ...

project will address these needs, without reopening the Tennyson line.

References

External links

Queensland TrainsTransLink
{{DEFAULTSORT:Corinda-Yeerongpilly railway line Brisbane railway lines 3 ft 6 in gauge railways in Australia